


stray dog

by kakashienthusiast



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 12:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15485433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakashienthusiast/pseuds/kakashienthusiast
Summary: tfw u find a dog that needs a home and u cant say no but ur husband sure can





	stray dog

     “Oh, hi baby… look at you, you’re so lovely! What a sweetheart… thank you for saying hello! Is someone taking care of you?” A soft voice was crooning gently at a stray dog on the side of the road. Strays weren’t especially uncommon this far out from the village gates, but a curious passerby glanced up at the human voice. As they processed the scene, their eyes widened. Nearly as common as strays were the kind-hearted folks who kept an eye on them, but it was far less common to hear such tenderness from an elite jonin like Kakashi. They lingered for a moment, working through the cognitive dissonance of seeing an inarguably dangerous shinobi be so.. soft, then continued down the road without a word.

     _They really shouldn’t have been surprised_ , Kakashi thought to himself. Most summoning ninjas had soft spots for the kinds of animals they summoned, talking or not. Especially so for Kakashi, who sometimes felt certain he was closer with his ninken than the humans he knew. In any case, he’d never spent much time worrying about his reputation now and this was hardly the time to start. Despite the light-hearted affection in his voice, he really was worried about the stray he’d found. Kakashi kept loose tabs on the stray dogs that lived around the village, but he’d never seen this particular one before. She looked a bit ragged and far too frail to be healthy, and the impulse to bring her home for a meal was quickly solidifying into an obligation. He really did have a soft spot for helping creatures in need, didn’t he? Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d brought a new dog back home, nor would it be the last. _Gai would understand,_ he thought to himself. _When you’re already taking care of eight dogs, what’s one more?_

     There was still the question of getting her to follow him back, but Kakashi would’ve sooner been caught dead than without some kind of treats in his pocket. With flourish, he held one out for her to sniff, holding perfectly still while she assessed his offering. This was a critical trust-building moment, after all. After a moment, the dog accepted the treat enthusiastically and he produced another. This time, instead of offering it readily, he used it as a lure, guiding her along the road. Every few meters, he let the dog catch up and snatch the treat away so she wouldn’t lose interest. If he’d been in hurry, he might’ve made it home in five minutes at the most, but he lost track of the time he spent coaxing the dog along the way. With each treat, he was able to guide her further and further without losing her, until they were at his door.

     As the key turned in his hand, Kakashi wondered how he’d end up explaining to Gai why he had yet another stray in their home. He’d barely opened the door a crack when he heard the frantic scramble of claws on hard floor and more softly, the exasperated sigh from Gai further inside.

     “Hello my love, I’m back!” He shouted down the hall, just audible over the dogs’ excitement. “And guess what? I brought us a surprise!” It’s all in the way you frame it, right? Regardless of Gai's feelings, it seemed like the dogs were quite pleased to have a newcomer in the house. _Maybe even a little too excited, huh?_ He thought. The stray seemed less than pleased about having so many curious noses so close. _She’s probably been on her own for a while now…_ He pulled out a handful of treats and his dogs attention whirled around at the smell. “Take it easy, you guys,” he chided them. “Give her some space! Let her warm up to the new place, okay?” He knelt down, offering out the pile of treats first to his dogs, then a few more for the stray. She accepted them cautiously, then curled up comfortably in the corner of the room. “You’ll be okay now, honey,” he said softly. “You’ll be-” He was cut off by a human voice.

      “Oh, Kakashi,” Gai sighed. Kakashi stood up, smoothly sliding directly between the stray and Gai’s line of sight.

      “Hey Gai!” He flashed a cheerful peace sign. “How’s it going?” Gai gestured towards Kakashi and the stray he was poorly hiding.

      “So, what sort of surprise did you have for me?” _Excellent,_ Kakashi thought. _If he’s playing along, I can still talk my way throught this_. Convincing Gai was going to be the most challenging part of the whole operation, but he was ready.

      “Well… I know that you care most about fostering tomorrow’s youth, and supporting your loved ones…” Gai eyed him suspiciously, barely disguising the laughter behind his act. “So I thought, you know what would make an incredible gift for my dear eternal rival?”

     “Ah, so the stray dog you’re standing in front of is a gift for me, in honor of our rivalry? Truly Kakashi, I am touched by your thoughtfulness, but I’m afraid I could never accept!” Gai turned away dramatically, eyes closed and hand over heart. “We simply have too many dogs already.” _So he was starting with an outright no, huh?_ Kakashi hadn’t expected an enthusiastic approval, but not a total refusal. In either case though, they were still joking, so he continued to press the issue.

     “Is that so? I thought surely my rival would never give in and set limits on himself, but maybe we really are getting old.” It would be playing dirty to goad like that if he weren’t reasonably confident that Gai was playing.

     “Oh, a dig at my pride? But of course, now that you’ve suggested it, I surely can’t back down from your challenge.” _There’s the yes!_ Kakashi noted to himself. “Show me this surprise you’ve brought home.” Kakashi stepped aside graciously, allowing Gai to gently approach the stray.

     Kakashi was naturally good with most dogs, of course. He’d known his dogs longer than anyone else alive, human or otherwise. They’d been there for things even Gai hadn’t. Gai however, was good with them in an entirely different way. It was probably because, despite his formidable reputation, the man gave off the gentlest, kindest aura of anyone Kakashi had ever known. Anything that obvious to him must read as blindingly obvious to the dogs, and so they all seemed to trust him unquestioningly. It was almost a marvel that Gai could walk straight up to the stray it’d taken Kakashi a few minutes and several treats to befriend, but then again, he really was just like that in all aspects of his life, wasn’t he? When the stray had finally had enough of the petting experience, Gai looked up at Kakashi overjoyed.

     “Kakashi, can we keep her?” he asked breathlessly. Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh. He’d really worried he’d have to pitch the idea in just the right way, but Gai made it almost too easy to believe. Making Kakashi's life impossibly easy, that was another thing he was always doing.

     “Of course!” he answered with a grin.

**Author's Note:**

> kakashi manages to get his way AGAIN? im shocked  
> anyways proofreading's for nerds just take it  
> also.. what was the dogs name? idk whatever u wanted it to be i guess


End file.
